Sewing-machine.



T. G. PLANT.

. SEWING MACHINE. urmouron rump umzsflaoa. nnxswnn APR. 14, 1909.

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SEWING MAGHINE. 1 APPLICATION rum) JAN. 29, 1908. RENEWED APR. 14, 1909.

940,053. Patented Nov. 16. 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 7/90n/AaGP4 A/Z' W THOMAS G. PLANT, 0F- BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SEWING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 16, 1909.

Application filed January 29, 1908, Serial No. 413,159. Renewed April 14, 1909. Serial No. 489,892.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS G. PLANT,

a citizen of the United States, residing at V the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, 18 a speo1- fication, like numerals on the drawings representing like parts.

The invention to be hereinafter described relates to sewing machines and more particularly to that type ordinarily known as the wclter employed for uniting the insole, upper, and .welt of boots and shoes.

As well known by those. skilled in the art, the welt is positioned with reference to the insole and upper by means of a guide, which has movement in and out to follow the changing contour of the work. While this movement is desirable, the welt guide should, however, be withdrawn from engagement with the work during the periods of work feed to obviate drag on the work or wrinkling thereof, and after the completion of feed movement the welt guide should be moved into contact with the work. But

this recurring disengagement and engagement of the welt guide" and work is liable to produce a hammering action against the work and unsteady condition of the shoe in the hands of the operative with consequent objections.

The object of the present invention is to provide means, whereby the welt guide may be engaged with the work, following its recurring disengagement, by a feeling action free from the objections generally noted;

- and whereby, also, the back gage may like- Wise move into contact with the work after each recurring disengagementwithout noticeably disturbing the steadiness of the shoe in the hands of the operative. These and other objects of the invention will best be understood from the following description and accompanying drawings of one form or embodiment of the invention selected for illustrativepurposes.

In the drawings :--Figure l is a sectional side elevation of a typical form of Welter or shoe sewing machine illustrating the present. invention associated therewith, parts being broken away; Fig. 2 is a detached do tail, showing the weltguide and its connecconnecting the back tion with the back gage Fig. 3 is a section on line. 3-3 of Fig. 2 looking to the right; Fig. 4 is a detached detail plan view of the back gage and associated parts; Fig. 5 is a side view of the parts shown in Fig. 4, the head framing being shown insection'; Fig. 6 is a section on line 6-6, Fig. 4:, and Fig.

7 is a detached detail showing the manner of gage slide and its withdrawing block.

The machine frame and head 1 may beof any usual or desirable character for supporting the shaft 2 and working parts.

Likewise the sewing elements comprisin the needle 3,-channe1 guide 4, the awl, an their operating devices may be of any usual or desired character.

The back rest 5 is suitably carried by the back rest slide 6 slidably mounted in guides 7 formed in the head framing 1, and is normally pressed forward or into work engaging position by a spring 8, one end of which is connected to a pin 9 on thehead framing and the other end to a pin 10 on the back rest slide 6, Fig. 1.

Mounted in suitable guide ways 11 in the head framing 1, as shown by dotted lines, Fi 1, and by Fig. 5, is the back gage n0rma lly pressed forward or into work enga ing position by a spring 27 one end of whic i is connected to a pin 28 on the back gage slide 12 and the other end to a pin 29 on the head framing. The back gage is withdrawn from the work at times by means of a lever 30, pivoted at 31, and having one end engaging a groove 32 of a cam 33 secured to the shaft 2, the other end 34 of said lever being disposed to engage the face 35 of a block 36 secured by a bolt 28 to the back gage slide 12. The block 36 is preferably provided with teeth 37', Fig. 7, adapted to engage teeth 38 in the back gage slide to thus insure against slip, and a screw threaded lug 39 furnishes an adjustable bearing for an adjusting bolt 4-0 which is adapted to contact with a stop 41 on the machine framing in case no work is presented to the machine, as will be readilv understood by those skilled in the art. From this construction it will be clear that upon rearward movement of the end 3d of the lever 30, said end will pick up or contact with the face 35 of the block 36 and move the back gage slide 12 to the rear; and when the end 34 moves forward, the spring 27 will eaudfe the block 36 to follow and the back gage slide to move forward until the work is met whereupon the gage slide will stop, though the end 34: of the lever may continue its movement forward. 7

As heretofore constructed, the back gage t has been mounted rigidly upon the end of its slide bar which 1s withdrawn prior to spring 17, disposed between the slide 12 and 14, the back gage end 15 which is to feel for -slido contacting with a stop or shoulder 1%) or during each feed of the shoe, so as to; withdraw the back gage from objectionable interference therewith,'and is then freed and permitted to spring forward under the strong stress of the actuating spring until it strikes the work. The back gage thus operated, constitutes a serious disturbing element in the machine, owing to the impact against the work which produces unsteadiness and jarring of the shoe in the hands of the operative. Likewise, when the welt guide has been permitted to strike the work after each withdrawal, the resultant vibrations and unsteadiness of the work held by the operative has introduced many objections. The present invention aims to over-- come these and other defects in the machine operation-and as one means to these ends the back gage is formed to act as a feeler for the work under easily retarded forward move- I ment, antl upon finding the shoe to at once I in then forward pos tion during the action stop further forward movement both of the back gage and \veltguide, so that each of these elements come into light touching contact with the work and are then stopped or locked in their proper positions.

In the present embodiment of the invention, the back gage slide 12, Figs. 1, land 5, Q is formed with a seat l6 adjacent its forward or work end for the reception of a light member 13, which, for identification, may be termed the feelcr slide. This fccler slide 13 has secured thereto, as by screws 14,

the work and then act as a gage therefor. The feeler slide 13 is normally pressed forward or to the right, Fig. 5, by a light fecler slido lil, the ends of the spring being prcf iblyseated in retaining sockets l8, l8; and a stop or shoulder 30 on the teeler on the back gage slide 12, limits the action of the spring 17.

The back gage slide 12 has an inclined seat 21 for a series of balls or rollers 22, upon which rests an inclined portion 23 of the l'eeler slide 13, said balls or rollers being retained in place by a pin A onthe back gage slide and an abutment 25 on the end of the harder slide 1; it will thus be seen that while the l'cclcr slide is carried by the back gage slide, it has provisions for a slight lnovcnicnt rt-lativc thereto, and is normally maintained in its advanced position by the light l'eclt-r spring 1?. in order to guide the acted upon by a spring l-l.

feeler slide in its movement relative to the back slide 12, the end of the feeler slide 123 beyond the screw connection 14, 14: with the back end 15, is extended for ward beyond and under a cross piece.26,

Figs. at and 6.

As before noted, the back gage slide 12.

slide 12, however, will, by reason of the inclined surfaces 21 and 23, cause relative spreading movement of the feeler slide and back gage slide with the result that the-back gage will bind and be locked in its slide bearings thus stopping any further forward movement. It will also be noted that this I stopping or locking action is made effective by the light feeling impulseof the feeler slide and that all jar or disturbing impact against thework is avoided.

To hold the back gag-c slide and back rest of the tools in forn'iing the stitch, each is provided with ratchet teeth l2 adapted to be engaged by thepawls 1;), 43, respectively, To withdraw these pawls at intervals, a dog 4.5 on the end of a bell crank lever it), pivoted at +7, and

operated by a cam 48, on the shaft .2 with which it is held in contact by a spring .30, is adapted to engage the tail pieces 40, it) of said pawls, as will be readily understood.

.llounted upon the feed slide bl, which is rcciprocated in "its slide bearings 52 by any suitable means, as by the link 53 engaging at its upper end a cam groove'fil of cam 33 secured to the shaft 2, 1s a bracket arm to which is pivotally connected the radius arm Cit carrying the welt guide 57. As already stated, the welt guide should bear upon the. work, as indicated in Fig. 1, during the stitch formation, but should be withdrawn from such engagement at the time of or during the feed of the work by the awl or other means, and when again brought into welt guiding position it should come against the work with a light feeling action .to avoid imparting vibrations or severe impacts to the shoe.

In order to permit proper ad ustmont of the welt guide, it is connected to the bracket '55 by an eccentric mounting, preferably 'l on be readily apparent to those skilled in the .the work, the welt guide will be lowered tion. Thus while the welt guide is adapted for oscillation about its pivotal center, it'is also adjustable toward and from the work. i

The radius arm 56 carrying the welt guide has an extension 61 carrying a pin 62, which is embraced by the jaws 63, 64, formed by the adjacent ends of the arms 65, 66, of two hell crank levers pivoted to the back gage slide 12, at (37. The downwardly extending arm of one of these bell crank levers, preferably that carrying the lower jaw 64, is conuected to a pin68 secured to the head framing 1, such connection, in the present form I of the invention, being secured by means of a slot (39 in the arm 70 embracing said pin 69. The downwardly extended arm 71 of the other bell crank lever is provided with a pin 72 engaged by one end of a spring 73,. Figs. 1 and 2, the other end of said spring being connected to a pin 74, on the head framing 1.

From the construction thus described, it will be noted that the jaws 63 and 64 will yieldingly embrace the pin 62 projecting from the arm 61 of the welt guide, and upon rearward movement of the back gage slide 12 to Withdraw the back gage end 15 from contact with the work, the fulcrum 67' of the bell cranks will move with it, while the downwardly projecting end 70 of the bell crank carrying the lower jaw 64; will he held fixed, thus the lower aw 6% will rise and move the welt .guide away from the work,'the upper jaw at such time yielding through its spring 73. Likewise when the back gage slide 1:2 moves forward to place the back gage end 15 in contact with into engagement with the work also, the spring 73 permitting movement of the back gage, at times, even after the welt guide is stopped. Inasmuch, however, as the move- .neut of the-back gage slide is controlled or stopped by the lightfeeling contact of the feeler slide, it follows that the welt guide will likewise be brought to'rest in welt guiding position without percussive action or blow upon the work, thus the shoe in the hands of the operative is held steadily, the numerous -objections heretofore present are overcome, and more accurateand satisfactory results are secured, all of whichwill art.

\Vhile for purposes of exploitation of the invention particulars of structure have been necessarily pointed out as one embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that the ir-- vention is not circumscribed thereby,as.it is new, so far as known, to provide a sewing machine with a welt guide and a back gage which can be brought into operative relation with the work by a light feeling action and then locked in such position.

it will be at once apparent to those skilled in the art that'various mechanism may be employed to carry into effect the inventive originality demonstrated by the present invention which is definitely set forth in the claims.

What is claimed is l. sewing machine of the character described, comprising, in combination, 'a welt guide, means for moving the welt guide to.

ward and from the work, and means rendered effective by feeling contact with the work for locking said welt guidein welt guiding position.

2. A sewing machine of the character described, comprising, in combination, an oscillatory welt guide, means for oscillating said welt guide, and means rendered eifective by feeling contact with the work for locking said welt guide in guiding position. I

3. A sewmg machine of the general chara back gage movable relative to the work, means to cause the back gage to move forward to feel for the work, a welt guide operatively connected to said back gage, and a lock rendered effective upon the gage finding draw the back gage from the work, a welt guide connected to and movable by said back gage, and means rendered etfective upon contact of the gage wlth the work to lock the gage and welt guide 1n position.

5. in a sewing machine of the character described, the combination of a back gage, a welt guide, means to move the back gage and welt guide into feeling contact with the work, and means rendered effective by such feeling contact with the work to lock the back gage and welt guide from further movement. 1

6. In a sewing machine of'the character described, the combination of aback gage,

contact with the work, a welt uide, yielding connections between the we t guide and back gage to permit movement of one at times independent of the other, and means rendered etfective by feeling contact of-t-he back gage with the work to lock the back age.

b 7 In a sewing machine, a back gage comaneans to move said back gage into feeling prising a back gage slide and a relatively movable feeler slide, a. welt uide, means disposed between the welt guide and back gage for operating the former from the latter, a bearing for said back gage, and means for locking the back gage upon relative movement of the back gage slide and feeler slide.

8. In a sewing machine, the combination of a back gage comprising a back gage slide 85 actor described, comprising, in combination, v

t r and a feeler slide movable relatively thereto, :1 Welt guide, means for moving the Welt guide frmn the back gage, and means fen. locking the back gage made effective by arresting ll'lOVGIl'lCllt of the feeler slide.

- I 9. In :1 sewing machine, the combinatlon "I and from the Work and locking means rendered effective for stopping the move ment of the back ga e toward the Work upon feeling contact Witt the Wonk.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence 15 of two subscribing Witnesses.

THOMAS G. PLANT. Witnesses AMELIA M. Ross, MARION F. KIMBALL. 

